One writer says the Ford Explorer 8.8 rear ends/axles (looking for a 1995-2001) are available and cheap. Can anyone help this older (73) 1st time rodder locate one?
Or alternatively, can anyone recommend a GMC (Chevy) rear with Posi and Disc brakes to fit my 1955 Chevy 2nd series 3100 (1/2 ton) Pickup?
What would a 1990 S-10 rear probably have/be?

The Explorer rear end has a lot of pinion offset. The FOX Mustang 8.8 is about 59 1/2 inches wide over all and has the pinion more centered. These are getting easier to find and all of them had the Trac Lock differential. You might have to put new clutches in it. They are 4 lug, but 5 lug axles are not very expensive and you can use Ranger drums with the 5 lug axles.

Most S trucks had the 7.5 rear end. In '90 they got an axle upgrade from 26 spline to 28 spline. The 8.5 rear ends in the S trucks had 30 spline axles. All of the truck limited slip differentials are Governor Lock, which is not a good choice for a performance application. The 2 WD S truck rear end is pretty narrow. The 4 WD rear ends are 4 to 6 inches wider than the 2 WD.

I have put 5 lug mustang disc together in the bone yard, The ranger axles are different left and right, you need two trucks to get 2 the same length as the fox mustang, then find mid lincoln town car for the rear disc, but they are 28 spline. the V8 explorer disc rears are better , have internal drum e brake, stronger axles. just see if the offset matters, I think the explorer rear discs are bolt on for Fox mustang rears.

Explorer brakes work on 9" large and small bearing rears with a bit of modification, but I think the 28 spline 8.8" have different tubes that won't fit the Expo brakes. SN95 Mustang parts bolt on tho, and finding an older mustang like that wrecked in a junkyard is not hard tho.

SN95 brakes require an after market caliper bracket to work on the FOX rear end due to the difference in the axle hang out. You can use '94 to '98 SN95 axles in the FOX housing and get 5 lugs and the disc brakes will be a bolt on, but the over all width will increase slightly. SN95 axles and brakes from a V6 car with the 7.5 rear end will fit the 8.8 FOX rear end.

Re: S10 rearend for a hot rod. An S10 4X4 rearend is 5 " wider than a regular 2 wheel drive S10 and is suitable for all AD Trucks 1947 -1954 to maintain a stock width. As for a 55, you will have to get a stock measurement and compare. Any 4X4 S10, S15 Chevy 1982-2000 will be fine. You might have to use wheel spacers to expand the width. If you do, use the best ones you can buy and avoid cheap Chinese crap!

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